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Overview

Atlanta, 1996

Nigeria made Olympic football history by becoming the first
African and non-European and South American team to win the gold
medal. While the football tournament remained primarily an Under-23
competition, each of the 16 competing countries were allowed to use
as many as three overage players in a compromise between FIFA and
the International Olympic Committee.

The Nigerians, whom many observers predicted would be the first
African side to win a World Cup, showed so much promise and
expectations over the previous decade. They won the 1985 Under-16
World Tournament and finished second in 1987. They took third and
second, respectively, at the 1985 and 1989 World Youth
Championships. But they could never break the final barrier at the
higher levels.

Nigeria, coached by Dutchman Johannes Bonfrere, started their
path to the final with a 1-0 victory over Hungary and a 2-0 win
over Japan before completing the first round with a 1-0 loss to
Brazil. The Africans then shut down Mexico and goalkeeper Jorge
Campos, 2-0, in the quarter-finals to set up a pair of amazing
matches.
Losing in the semi-finals to a favoured Brazilian side that
boasted Bebeto, Ronaldo and Rivaldo, 3-1, Nigeria finally woke up
in the 78th minute as Victor Ikpeba scored from 20 meters. As time
was running out, captain Nwankwo Kanu took center stage, scoring in
a scramble in front of the goal in the final minute to equalize.
With extra-time barely three minutes out, Kanu fired home the
game-winner from 16 meters to complete one of the great comebacks
of international football history and in what many observers felt
was the greatest Olympic match ever played.

As if trying to top themselves, the Nigerians then staged
another miraculous comeback against Argentina in the gold-medal
match in front of 86,117 spectators in the Sanford Stadium in
Athens, Georgia.

The Argentins held a 2-1 advantage on goals by Claudio Lopez
(third minute) and Hernan Crespo (tournament-best sixth goal on a
penalty kick in the 50th minute) before the Nigerians equalized on
Daniel Amokachi's shot in the 74th minute. With a minute
remaining, Emmanuel Amunike pulled off some 11th-hour heroics as he
took advantage of a botched offside trap and beat goalkeeper Pablo
Cavallero from point-blank range for the winning goal in a 3-2
triumph. "I guarantee you that as I talk to you now, everyone
in Africa is celebrating," forward Sunday Oliseh said.
"There is no sleeping tonight. Everyone will be happy. This is
for all the African countries."

Besides Nigeria, this competition had a number of surprises.
Italy, coached by Cesare Maldini, crashed out of the tournament
after a disastrous first round. Those results and disappointing
performances eventually cost Maldini his job.

Unfancied Japan stunned Brazil in the opening round, 1-0. During
a span of several minutes after their 1-1 draw with Mexico, Ghana
went through agony and ectasy. They left the field with sullen
faces, thinking they had failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
But their faces turned to smiles when Mexican coach Bora
Milutinovic told them they had made it.

Brazil, who had won four World Cup crowns but never the Olympic
gold, were forced to settle for a bronze medal. The South
Americans, spurred by Bebeto's three goals, strolled to a 5-0
win over Portugual in the third-place match.

Only two years after a successful World Cup, the Olympic
Football Tournament proved to be popular in the USA, as it was
during the 1984 Summer Games. A total attendance of 1,364,142
witnessed the 32 matches, most games paired as double-headers with
the first Women's Olympic Tournament.